Kamal Bahamdan, the athlete and entrepreneur, visited the Dubai Women’s College High School. It was a great honor to meet and talk to him. Kamal bahamdan is a Saudi show jumping rider. He is the proud Saudi winner of a bronze medal in jumping at the 2012 London Olympics. The girls and i have learned from Mister Kamal that in order to be successful you have to achieve your goals. We were so glad we met him and he inspired us to aim on our goals and to be great leaders.

Last week, Dr. Abdulla Al-Karam met with Ms. Maya Al-Hawary and Mr. Cody Claver, both senior management at DWC High School. Dr. Abdulla Al-Karam leads the team that is responsible for the ongoing improvement of the private education sector. He was a member of the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Global Agenda Council on Education 2010. Prior to KHDA, he was CEO of Dubai Knowledge Village with a remit to diversify the educational landscape in Dubai. Before that, Dr. Al Karam headed the Research Unit at Dubai Internet City and worked as a Software Engineer in the US and France. Dr. Al-Karam has held positions across government, including Vice Chairman of the Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Awards for Distinguished Academic Performance, as a Board member of the Dubai Knowledge Fund (DKF), and as the Chair of the Dubai Government’s Human Resources Committee. He holds a PhD in Computing Engineering from the University of South Carolina.

“On behalf of the KHDA team I would like to wish you all the best as you embark on your journey as Academic Head of Dubai Women’s College High School. It was a pleasure to meet you and Cody Claver this morning and to learn more about your plans and your contributions to Dubai’s growth.”

Salma Hussein Qutub had previously studied K12 online courses at home in the U.S. After a recent move to Dubai, she enrolled at the DWC High School. In this interview, Salma and her mother, Naglaa Rizk, discuss the advantages of a learning environment that is a combination of both online and classroom instruction.

Earlier today I interviewed twin sisters, Fatima and Mariam Masood, both of whom are learning coaches at DWC High School. The school uses learning coaches to facilitate a variety of student needs, including: assistance with technical issues, monitoring student progress, campus life, parent conferences, and many other functions. They are also co-authors of a book for teens and young adults titled “I Know Who You Are!,” which promotes acceptance and understanding of different personality types. I found them to be very committed to enhancing the student experience, as well as supporting the growth of young women.

On my first day in Dubai, UAE, I made my way to the DWC High School’s facilities on the campus of the Dubai Women’s College. The first thing that you notice is how beautiful the campus is. Tropical gardens provide an oasis-like setting for the bright, modern learning environment. Technology labs with ceiling-high windows look out onto the lush green landscape, creating an extremely pleasant place for instruction. The second thing that you notice is how upbeat the staff is. The young women who administer the curriculum and the learning coaches that I met are engaged and empathetic to the girls who are seeking a pre-university education. The class is a mix of UAE nationals and international students, grades 9-12, who are preparing for the competitive admission requirements for a university education.

“Our goal is to have girls prepared to go to a four-year university when they finish our program.”

I was there to meet with Cody Claver, Head of School for the DWC High School campus. A life-long educator, Mr. Claver provided me with insight about the school’s approach to learning; “We’re a skills-focused institution. Our goal is to have girls prepared to go to a four-year university when they finish our program.” It was clear after talking to both he and the staff, that enabling students to think about the process of learning is a core principle of the program. The girls are encouraged to develop good character as well, with emphasis on contributing to the community, to act with kindness and strength of character, and to develop their own innate personal qualities.

This is the first post of the blog that will provide a glimpse into daily life at the school. If you’re an education professional, a parent, or a student, we think that you’ll find our posts to be insightful, and we hope that you’ll follow, comment, and share.

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Dubai Women’s College High School is now accepting applications for the Spring semester

DWC High School is an innovative new private high school located on the campus of Dubai Women's College. Combining onsite instruction with online learning from K12, America's leader in online learning, DWC High School will provide its students with the high quality education and independent organization skills needed to succeed in a modern and changing global society. Click on the photo above to start the application process.